One of the largest consumers of electricity for many large commercial buildings, shopping centers and condominiums is the parking garage lighting. Most parking garage lighting systems operate 24 hours a day and use traditional Metal Halide or High Pressure Sodium type lighting fixtures. The High Intensity Discharge (HID) fixtures are often chosen over vapor tight fluorescent fixtures to provide higher light levels and improved safety and security as parking garages are often victim to higher, opportunistic crime. These higher light levels however come at a very high cost of electricity, repair and maintenance. One of the most viable and alternative options to HID lighting systems for use in parking garage lighting is the Induction Canopy Light Fixture. These fixtures easily replace HID with simple installation and are pre wired with multi-volt connections from 120-277 Volt and a 480 Volt option for larger facilities.

Induction Lighting Increases Safety and Security

By replacing (HID) Metal Halide or Pressure Sodium fixtures with induction, the overall light quality can be improved by up to 70% while reducing the energy waste by up to 60%. Induction Lighting from Synergy Lighting provides the highest levels of scoptopic lumens which is reflected in the see-ability of customers, employees or the general public whom utilizes these parking garages. The Scotopic lumens or S/P Ratio of our induction lighting systems is much higher than HID systems, and replicates pure natural daylight. This allows individuals to see more clearly, identifying colors correctly, and increase the field of vision dramatically. We attribute these higher light levels and increased visibility to the prevention and reduction of crimes committed in parking garages. This reduces property owner premise liability as well as general energy savings.

Reducing Electricty Costs Up To 60% With Induction

Induction Lighting currently offers some of the highest levels of scotopic lumens per watt produced by a single light source. Because of this higher lumens per watt, induction lighting can replace HID Systems at half the wattage as traditional HID. For example, a 175 watt metal halide garage light fixture can be replaced with an 85 Watt induction fixture while still providing 20% greater see-able light. This is additionally attributed to the higher efficacy of Induction Lighting which maintains 95% lumen maintenance over the life of the lamps, compared to only 65% lumen maintenance from Metal Halides. The Following is a comparison between a 400 Watt Metal Halide and a 200 Watt Induction Fixture.

One of the most common forms of industrial warehouse and large commercial lighting is Metal Halide High Bays. These fixtures which are often selected initially because of their high lumens per watt and relatively low price are found virtually every where you look. They can be found in Grocery Stores such as Publix, and Retail Stores Like Sports Authority and HHGregg as well as 90% of all warehouses. We like to refer to these fixtures as the “Engineers Choice” when a new construction project is being developed. They are easy to specify, very bright and can be laid out using a relatively low amount of fixtures.

Metal Halide High Bays Are Really Not Efficient

It is highly likely that the era of the Metal Halide High Bay still being used today is not out of necessity or efficiency but merely that of imitating others. “Well, Best Buy has those lights, we should too”. The unfortunate situation is that nobody upfront considers the true reality of metal halide lighting. This reality is:

T8 Fluorescent High Bay Fixtures Can Do The Job

T8 Fluorescent has been around for years, in fact you may have them above your head right now in an office! Most people do not realize that those lights used in the office can also be used to provide the high levels of light required where Metal Halide High Bay fixtures may exist. T8 Fluorescent has improved so dramatically just in the past 12 months, that these lamps can now be used for the same purpose. Using specially designed 6 lamp T8 High Bay fixtures such as those available through Synergy Lighting can reduce the electrical consumption by 54% compared to 400 Watt Metal halide Fixtures. Warm up and Restrike times from power outages is elliminated with Instant On/Off illumination. Additionally, there are large tax deductions available to those who makes this change.

Benefits achieved are:

No color shift with aging lamps

Improved light quality without hot-spots

54% energy savings

210% reduction in heat output from the light fixture

70% reduction of maintenance costs

Ellimination of safety hazards

Instant On / Off

The above retail store converted from MH400 Highbays using 468 watts per fixture to T8 Highbays supplied by Synergy Lighting using only 221 watts per fixture.